fungi · GBIF taxon 2545536
Lentinus Mushroom
Lentinus squarrosulusAlso known as Scaly Lentinus, Squamulose Lentinus, White Rot Lentinus
This tough, white to cream-colored mushroom features a funnel-shaped cap adorned with small, brownish scales. It grows in dense clusters on decaying hardwood logs and stumps throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. As a white-rot fungus, it plays a vital ecological role by breaking down complex wood polymers and recycling nutrients back into the forest soil.
SaprobicTropicalWood-decaying
- diet
- Organic matter from decaying wood
- family
- Polyporaceae
- threats
- Deforestation and habitat fragmentation
- life Span
- Mycelium lives for years; fruiting bodies persist for several weeks
NE
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
- Check the gills: Look underneath the cap to observe the deeply decurrent gills that run far down the stem.
- Examine the scales: Gently touch the cap surface to feel the dry, recurved scales that give this mushroom its name.
- Note the substrate: Document the type of decaying wood it grows on to help confirm identification.